Mike Powell

Last Thursday I captured my first shot of a Bald Eagle in a few months during a visit to Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Refuge. I have spotted Bald Eagles several times this summer, but I did not see them from a distance, because of the foliage on the trees, and my first indication of their presence was when they were flying away from me.

There are still quite a few leaves on the trees, so I was startled when I flushed an eagle last week. I was fortunate, though, the eagle flew across my field of view and I was able to snap off a couple of shots before it disappeared from sight. This is a crop of the image that came out of my camera and I am pretty happy with the results, especially considering the fact that I had no time to make any adjustments to my camera before taking the shot.

I am still trying to focus primarily on insects, but know that before long I will be switching my focus to birds. However, as this photo shows, I will rarely pass up an opportunity to get a shot of a Bald Eagle, irrespective of the season.

© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.